Mary Suhm

City Manager Mary Suhm is Stepping Down

Say farewell to Mary Suhm. The Morning News' Rudy Bush broke the news this morning that, come September, she's stepping down as city manager. She said so to the City Council and top staff. The announcement begins the close of a remarkable 8-year career as city manager that saw the city become a sa ... More >>

Trinity East, Staunch Defender of Truth and Above-Board Dealing, Threatens to Sue an Environmental Group

So Trinity East, the gas drilling company that did a secret deal with the Dallas city manager to drill on city-owned parkland, is threatening to sue an environmental group because the group demanded more transparency about previous drilling operations. The drilling company has threatened to sue th ... More >>

Dwaine Caraway Knows What Killed Fair Park: 'The Ugliest Roof in America'

Why is Fair Park so deserted? It's a question that has baffled city officials forever, but so far no one has come up with a plan to draw people to the 277 acre fairgrounds in months that don't start with "O." It's a puzzle no longer, because council member Dwaine Caraway, in a lengthy tangent durin ... More >>

Ah, So This Was All Mary Suhm's Idea: Patting Backs, Drinking Drinks on Margaret Hunt Hill

​The speeches went on and on and on and on ... and on, everyone on the stage thanking everyone else on the stage for having a hand in building this thing we were all standing on: the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Mayor Mike Rawlings, Friday night's emcee, introduced "our new skyline" and the structu ... More >>

Drink In the City Council's Discussion on Conserving (And Selling) Dallas's Water Supply

I was in the middle of watching the city council briefings on water conservation and the Stage 1 watering restrictions yesterday when I got pulled away -- and just when it was getting interesting too. So this morning I started going back to review the tape, beginning just as Sandy Greys ... More >>

Citing "Numerous Breaches" of Agreement, City Hall Tells Occupy Dallas to Clean Up or Get Out

Photo by Anna MerlanFirst Assistant City Attorney Chris Bowers, at left, just last week​Never did hear from City Manager Mary Suhm about what she intended to tell Mayor Mike Rawlings concerning Occupy Dallas's continued camp-out behind Dallas City Hall. No matter: Moments ago Suhm sent to the mayo ... More >>

Back at City Hall, Listening In As Mary Suhm Nails Down the City's Budget Shortfall

Sam Merten​We're back in not-so-executive session, breezing through the rest of the council's agenda so Mayor-For-Now Tom Bailey Leppert can hop a flight for his swan song at the US Council of Mayors. First, though, Dave Neumann apologizes for his last motion to defer the gas drilling applicatio ... More >>

Power to the People: Oncor to Spend a Million Bucks on Recreation Centers

​Well, that was quick: Patrick just sent word that Oncor's ponying up one ... million ... dollars to the Dallas Parks Foundation, every cent of which will go toward the rec centers, whose operating hours are on Mary Suhm's chopping block. More to come. As in: What the what's a "Mayor's Youth Fitne ... More >>

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FY2010-11 Budget Cuts But Were Afraid to Ask

Deviant Art​Well, that's not true. It's not everything -- just 29 Qs and As and a few handy-dandy exhibits provided by City Manager Mary Suhm in a memo distributed last night. And you didn't ask the questions -- the council did following the last budget workshop, another of which is scheduled for ... More >>

The Mayor Doesn't Want a Tax Hike. Some Council Members Do. A Few Citizens Too. You?

​I've been trying to tell you: Word from inside City Hall is that a tax hike of at least one cent "actually might happen." The reason: That's what The People are demanding at these budget town halls, if only to keep the rec centers open and the parks mowed. And a one-cent hike, in addition to the ... More >>

Mary Suhm Would Love to Sell Some Old, Empty Libraries. Just Not Yet.

​Speaking of library branches ...Let's return for a moment to the subject of vacant city buildings, chief among them the branches that have been replaced by new-and-improveds (like, say, boarded-up Walnut Hill and that canvas Casa View). Because when last we spoke with City Manager Mary Suhm about ... More >>

How a Projected Increase in Solid Waste Disposal Will (Kinda) Save Rec Centers

​This afternoon, City Hall spokesman Frank Librio forwarded a memo City Manager Mary Suhm sent to Mayor Tom Leppert and the council last night, in which Suhm broke some news: She found an extra $1.8 million with which to fund the city's rec centers, whose hours she's proposing to drastically cut i ... More >>

Giving the City Some Credit

This tag decorated the old Casa View branch one week ago. But no more, thanks to one fast-acting code compliance officer.​As we mentioned last Tuesday the city council's Quality of Life Committee got 'round to discussing some tweaks the city needs to make to its graffiti ordinance, which isn't qui ... More >>

Some Light Weekend Reading: City Manager Manager's Proposed FY 2010-11 Budget

​Moments ago, the city posted to its website the proposed budget City Manager Mary Suhm will discuss with the council at 9 a.m. Monday. It's not a detailed breakdown by any stretch, but a terse, bullet-pointed 53-page summation of what we've known for months was coming -- from the 450 "civilian la ... More >>

After Meeting and Conferring With Police, Fire Officials, Mary Suhm to Present Budget Proposal

​On Monday, Mary Suhm will present to the council the FY2010-11 budget, from which she had to trim some $131 million -- a "painful, painful, painful" process, as she put it one month ago, because it will involve laying off hundreds at City Hall and gutting the budgets in myriad other departments, ... More >>

In Two Weeks, Mary Suhm Will Present the FY2010-11 Budget to Council. Then: Town Halls!

Sam MertenMary Suhm presenting the budget to council last year.​We're less than two weeks away from finding out How the City Manager Spent Her Summer Vacation: On August 9, Mary Suhm will give present to council her proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. We've sneak-peeked a few of the pendin ... More >>

Suhm Doesn't Know What's Gotta Go Yet. She Only Knows This Budget Process Is "Painful."

Sam MertenCity Manager Mary Suhm​"Painful. Painful, painful, painful, painful."That's what City Manager Mary Suhm said when I asked her earlier today how it's going as she works to gut the budget before council's return next month."Painful."As I noted below, I wanted to talk to Suhm about some e-m ... More >>

As Librarians, Libraries Become "Endangered Species," Mary Suhm Talks Proposed Cuts

​City Manager Mary Suhm and I spoke a few days about about how she's trying to find $131.1 million to excise out of the FY2010-'11 budget, which she'll present to council upon its return from summer vacay in August. And so, while the council takes its summer break and Suhm goes off to find quarter ... More >>

Dallas's Streets Aren't a Disaster. Yet.

​Later today I'll post at least the first part of my chat with City Manager Mary Suhm about how she plans to gutcut the city's FY2010-'11 budget, which needs to shed $131 million even after last year's $180-some-odd-million bloodletting. But here's a relevant sneak peek related to an item on the c ... More >>

Talking Trash and Carrying Water at City Hall

​The city's more or less shut down till Tuesday, what with a furlough day and Memorial Day on the schedule. Which is why City Hall has early-posted its Wednesday council briefing agendas on two subjects near and dear to every citizen: water and trash. At least one of 'em is gonna cost more next fi ... More >>

The City's Budget Shortfall is $131.1 Million, So Far. Forthcoming: Service Cuts, City Hall Layoffs and Fee Increases. And, a Tax Hike?

​Maybe you heard -- the city's facing a $131.1-million budget shortfall, not as bad as last year's $190 mil but, still, bad enough to merit deep cuts once more. And while several council members, among them Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway, have said a tax hike may be necessary to keep from gutting ci ... More >>

Look, Mary Suhm Knows What We Want in a Top Cop. So Why's She Pretending to Ask?

Kimberly Thorpe​Public meetings often take on the tone of the most disgruntled citizen present, and last night was no exception. However, City Manager Mary Suhm tried to pretend she was genuinely interested in hearing from the 25 folks who showed up at Dallas City Hall last night to participate in ... More >>

At the Council's Brainstorming Session, a Novel Proposal: Free Downtown Parking!?!

​On Sunday we sneak-peeked City Manager Mary Suhm's money-making proposals for covering the latest inevitable budget shortfall. They include everything from a plan to "vaporize" waste to imposing a tax on plastic bags and bottles to leasing the city's seal to private companies to selling City ... More >>

Two Months Into Budget, City's Already $4 Mil Down on Guesstimated Sales Tax Income

Sam MertenFIrst Assistant City Manager Ryan Evans​Perhaps you saw the story in the morning paper: According to the state comptroller's office, Dallas pulled in sales tax revenue totaling $14.5 million in November 2009. And while that's a considerable plunge from same-time-last-year's intake ($18.3 ... More >>

In Case You Forgot, Your Atmos Bill Will Go Up Slightly in 2010 as City Hikes Franchise Fee

​As it's the last day of the year and all, let's wrap up some unfinished business -- like, oh, the fact your gas bill is going up in the spring of 2010, in part thanks to City Hall. Maybe you remember: Back in September, when the city was trying find change under sofa cushions to cover the $190 bu ... More >>

In Citing Concerns Over City's Rising Debt, Angela Hunt Calls Out Mayor Leppert, Suhm

​Dunno how we missed this one, but on her blog yesterday Angela Hunt took a long, hard look at City Manager Mary Suhm's proposed FY 2009-2010 budget and wrote at great length about her most major concern: the pile of debt that would result from bond projects proposed in the budget. She's voiced th ... More >>

Council Members (At Least Those Without Rent Homes) Supportive of Registration Idea. Except Dave Neumann, Who Blasts "Tax."

​If the Dallas City Council winds up passing an ordinance requiring rent-house owners to register with the city -- a proposal we mentioned Sunday and just discussed at the council's briefing -- it'll apparently have to do so without three members' input. In the middle of Code Compliance's presenta ... More >>

Out of the Pool: City Council to Get a Detailed Look at Cuts to Park and Rec's Budget

Click to expand City Manager Mary Suhm's list of proposed pool closings in the coming fiscal year​For those Friends of Unfair Park who haven't read through the entire FY2009-2010 proposed city of Dallas budget, the city council's biting off tiny pieces during regularly scheduled briefings in advan ... More >>

The Bookworm Has Turned as Dallas Libraries See New Materials Budget Slashed

​So many pages of Mary Suhm's FY2009-2010 budget left to sort through, and so little time left till tomorrow's council budget briefing. But several Friends of Unfair Park worry about an item they found at the very bottom of the page devoted to the Central Library's line-item breakdown: the amount ... More >>

In About an Hour, We'll Have An Idea How Suhm Cut $190 Million From City Budget

Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm​Unfair Park might be a little slow-going 'round 1:30 this afternoon, when I'll be down at Dallas City Hall to pick up the executive summary of City Manager Mary Suhm's final budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. Media attending this afternoon's shindig won't be ... More >>

City Manager Mary Suhm: Budget Cuts Necessitate Laying Off 850 City Hall Workers

​Moments before her budget presentation to the media, scheduled to begin any second, City Manager Mary Suhm called with a bit of a sneak preview. We'll have more shortly, upon our return from City Hall, but when asked what was the most difficult cut she had to make to balance the $190 million defi ... More >>

The First Look at the City's FY2009-2010 Budget. But, In Truth, It's Just a Tease.

Sam MertenCity Manager Mary Suhm presented a teensy peek at the budget to Your Dallas Media this afternoon.​I have a notebook and digital voice recorder full of Mary Suhm quotes in which the Dallas city manager offers encouraging words about the FY2009-2010 budget, a teensy-weensy bit of which we ... More >>

Got Something to Say About the City's Budget? Then Let City Council Hear From You.

Mary Suhm and Tom Leppert, from yesterday's Dallas Zoo briefing​By no later than tomorrow, we should get our first look at City Manager Mary Suhm's proposed budget for the coming fiscal year -- specifically, what stays and what goes to clear out the $190 million shortfall. (Suhm had told Unfair Pa ... More >>

As Mary Suhm Struggles to Cut, Then Gut, the City Budget, "More Difficult Decisions" Loom

When council member Angela Hunt said "we're cutting muscle, we're cutting bone" when referring to the FY2009-'10 budget, from which City Manager Mary Suhm's looking to lose $190 million, this is what she meant: Tomorrow, Suhm will present to the council the most detailed look at proposed budget cuts ... More >>

If Nothing Else, Shouting About the City Budget Might Make You Feel a Little Better

Perhaps you have an idea how the city can cut, oh, $100 million in order to fix its busted-up budget. Or, just maybe, you're really not terribly keen on the idea of City Manager Mary Suhm leaving 12 code enforcement positions unfilled in order to make up the ever-expanding deficit. Or perhaps you, l ... More >>

Tomorrow, the City Council Will Start Voting on Budget-Cutting, Money-Making Ideas

You've been warned: The price of a parking ticket's about to jump by $15, should the council give the OK tomorrow.As Sam mentioned last week, the Dallas City Council didn't get much accomplished during its budget briefing, as a scheduled straw vote on a handful of revenue-generating, cost-saving mea ... More >>

Council Doesn't Want to Raise Taxes, Cut Key Services to Trim Budget. Good Luck With That.

Sam MertenThe city's budget is $190 million in the hole because of "revenue erosion," according to CFO Dave Cook.The Dallas City Council yesterday afternoon wrapped up a lengthy discussion on how best to tackle the city's $190-million budget deficit by agreeing that a tax increase and making cuts to ... More >>

Mayor Leppert on City's Budget Woes: "We Just Gotta Deal With it and Move Forward."

Mayor Tom Leppert kicked off today's budget briefing by acknowledging that "the challenges will be significant" as the Dallas City Council finds ways to eliminate a $190-million deficit. He stressed that national and international issues are the cause of the shortfall, and the mayor likened it to th ... More >>

Suhm's Looking for Quarters in Dallas's Couch

City Manager Mary SuhmIn recent days, sources inside Dallas City Hall have told Unfair Park they've been warned to expect the worst as City Manager Mary Suhm wrestles with the next fiscal year's budget. Which comes as no surprise: At this moment, months before Suhm and the council finalize the 2009- ... More >>

Concerning the Budget, Some Council Members Want to Get Back to "Basics"

Mary Suhm on Recommended Budget: "We Can't Afford to Complain."

New Zoo Review: Or, Mary Suhm Wrestles With An Underfunded Budget

Keep Your Eye on the Bottoms

Getting Answers from the City's Holy Trinity About the Trinity Project

Warning You Now: A Lot of Math Ahead

Trinity Trust? Not on Yer Life.

Mr. Funny Guy Has All the Answers

Bridge Bidding (Or, Why Not Just Play Go Fish?)

Bond Girl

So Suhm Me